Wealden has the lowest waiting time for family council homes across all Sussex local authorities, according to research

A study has been carried out by the National Housing Federation and homelessness charities Crisis and Shelter shows which of both East and West Sussex's councils have the longest waiting times for family sized housing.

Based on 2023/24 data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, researchers ranked waiting times according to the number of people on the waiting lists and the average annual rate of lettings in each area.

Researchers said the calculation applied to figures, assuming there are no new additions to a waiting list, assesses how many years it would take to clear that list at the average rate of lettings. They considered only homes with three or four bedrooms.

Top of the list with the longest waiting time was Adur District Council with the report finding it was take 17.8 years to clear the list for family sized housing at the current rate. This is more than double the England national rate which is 7.8 years.

Wealden District Council comes at the bottom of the list with a waiting time of 3.2 years, equal to Chichester (3.2 years) and just below Crawley (3.7 years.) Brighton and Hove City Council's figure was 16.3 years, followed by Worthing Borough Council, 14 years.

Research shows that demand for larger social housing has outstripped all overall waiting lists. From 2014/15 the number of families waiting for a house with three or more bedrooms increased by 36.6 per cent compared with a 5.9 per cent increase in total households on waiting lists.

National Housing Federation chief executive Kate Henderson said: "The fact that families in so many parts of the country face waiting lists for an affordable home longer than their children's entire childhood is a national scandal. This is no way for a child to grow up and these children deserve better."

Chief executive of Crisis, Matt Downie, said: "Widespread child homelessness leads to people being trapped in poverty across generations. This must spur action at the upcoming spending review."

Susan King

Senior Reporter

Sussex Express

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